If you live in the country, there’s a high chance your home’s wastewater is handled by a sewage system. And if you’re a new septic tank owner, you may be unaware that your septic system needs some maintenance in order to work effectively. The good news is that maintaining your sewage system isn’t difficult and expensive.

However, not taking care of your septic system could end up costing you a lot of money.  As a septic system may cost tens of thousands of dollars to dig up and replace.

The following are some useful septic system tips that might save you from a potentially disastrous situation.

Have a Regular Inspection for your Septic System

Getting regular inspections and maintenance checks on your septic system will help improve its health. These types of checks can help find small problems early so they don’t get out of hand.

It is important to have your septic tank regularly emptied, so it doesn’t overflow. The best time to get your septic tank pumped out depends on the size of your household, the size of your septic tank, and the amount of wastewater generated. If you’re unsure, a good rule of thumb is to have the septic tank pumped out every 3 to 5 years.

Make Use of Water Wisely

Excessive water use is a common cause why most homeowners’ septic systems fail. Always examine your faucets and toilets for leakage and make required repairs. This will aid in reducing the amount of water entering your septic tank.

Another thing to remember is not to drain your hot tub into the septic tank or drain field since big amounts of water can ‘drown’ your drain field. Furthermore, the chlorine in the hot tub may destroy the microorganisms in your septic tank, which might lead to problems later on.

Keep Your Landscaping in Check

Planting grass near a drain field is an excellent idea since it reduces erosion. A shallow-rooted plant is also a good choice, but anything with roots that are longer than the grass might cause root incursion and structural damage to your septic tank.

If the field is getting flooded, it means that there is too much water and will, later on, cause a problem. Make sure to get rid of all excess water, especially from sprinkler systems and irrigation systems.

Toilets are not garbage cans!

Everything that goes down your drains, whether flushed, ground in the trash disposal or poured down the sink, shower, or bath, ends up in your septic system. The quality of your septic system is affected by what goes down the drain.

A simple rule of thumb is to only flush human waste and toilet paper down the toilet. The following are some items that should never be flushed down the toilet.

  • Grease or oil for cooking
  • Wipes that aren’t flushable, such as baby wipes or other wet wipes
  • Solutions for photography
  • Hygiene products for women
  • Condoms
  • Dental floss
  • Diapers
  • Butts of cigarettes
  • Grinds of coffee
  • Litter for cats
  • Towels made of paper
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Household chemicals like gasoline, insecticides, antifreeze, and paint or paint thinners

If you encounter a problem with your septic system, contact Caccia Plumbing at (650) 342-5363. Alternatively, you can also request a quote online to help resolve any septic tank concerns or problems.